


No. I don't.

by sky_squido



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Crying, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, It's fluffy and sweet but also kind of sad, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), there's some angst in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25429522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_squido/pseuds/sky_squido
Summary: Prompt: Ravio comforting a crying Legend
Relationships: Legend (Linked Universe) & Ravio (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 228





	No. I don't.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theghostchild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theghostchild/gifts).



> This fic is a birthday present to RYLAN WHO IS A SWEET AMAZING HUMAN BEING AND I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

"Anyone recognize this one?"

Legend glanced around at the lazily drifting river and the rocky cliffs topped with clumps of rich, dark grass. Was this…? It was. 

"Ah, this one's mine." He stretched nonchalantly. "My house is nearby. We can head there."

" _ SICK _ _!_ Legend's house!" Wind started vibrating in place next to Legend. "I can't wait to see all your items again! Is Ravio gonna be there? He's really weird but I like him a lot! He's not a creep like Tingle. OOH!  _ OOH _ ! Are you gonna play your instruments for us this time? I wanna see all your maps again!"

Legend sighed. How did Wind manage to be so happy all the time? At three adventures, he might actually have been the second most experienced after Legend, which was a weird thought. But still, he was a better person than Legend and it showed. He was so passionate about the world he'd saved while Legend was only getting sick of his own. He just felt... drained. Hylia knows how many quests he'd gone on, how many demons and Ganons and monsters he'd had to fight and he hadn't even hit twenty. What was he even supposed to do anymore?

He tuned out the excited conversation of the group. Wind had a country to build, to reestablish. His work would never truly end. It was nothing but growth and improvement in his future. But Legend? He'd fought and fought and every time he thought it was over and that he was done, he got dragged off on another adventure. How many more would he have to go on after this one? And even then, after it all, if he did eventually bring peace to Hyrule, it wouldn't matter. Hyrule himself was living proof of that. No matter how hard he fought, it would all just fall into ruins. But whatever. Maybe he could have a moment of peace and quiet to himself at his house. Give the other heroes, the heroes whose adventures actually meant something, something to do to entertain themselves while he took time to himself. His head hurt and he just wanted to sleep. For a while.

They turned the corner and headed up the hill and Legend's house came into view. The simple thatched roof looked wilted in the hot, humid July sun. He was looking forward to a nice, cool drink; having an ice rod had its perks. The one Ravio had given him— Legend sighed heavily. Ravio would want to talk to him, wouldn't he. The last thing Legend wanted was to talk to people, especially his personal fan club. Attention was nice sometimes, but he was  _ not _ in the mood.

"And here she is, home sweet home," Legend deadpanned, gesturing lazily to the modest building. How he wished he could have energy again. The days when he ran excitedly around the field and chatted effervescently with his uncle felt like a long forgotten dream. What  _ happened _ to him?

Legend turned the handle, jabbing the door with his shoulder to wrest it from the frame.

It always seemed to get stuck on days like this.

The door swung open to the house, looking the same as it had the last time the heroes visited. Instruments of all shapes and colors lined one wall, shields on another. A cabinet of dusty maps sat forgotten in the corner, various other knick knacks filling every flat surface in the area. 

"I will never get over how much  _ stuff _ Legend has."

" _ How _ many quests did you say you went on again?"

"Hey Legend, can I look through your maps?"

Legend scanned the room. Why did looking at it all, his achievements, his trophies, make him feel only  _ more _ hollow and empty? It was like they were reminding him of a time he'd never see again. He felt the sudden urge to take everything down and stuff it all in boxes. Or burn it.

"Um sure, Wind, you can check out the maps. Try not to touch anything else—not like saying that is gonna make a difference—" the Links had started perusing Legend's collection once again, only Time, Twi, Wars, and Sky having the decency to keep their hands folded behind their backs (though Legend saw Twi touch something anyway) "—aaaaaand nobody's listening to me anymore. Alright well I'm gonna run upstairs. You guys can hang out down here or go outside or whatever."

Legend started heading towards the stairs, scanning with narrowed eyes for Ravio. He hadn’t seen the purple-clad merchant, which was unexpected. Did he just... leave? He kept walking. Of course he did. Everyone did. Why was he even surprised anymore. He glanced behind him for a moment at the other heroes.

Dammit, why did he _care_ so much about them? They were going to _leave_. They were. They had their own worlds to get to and people to be with and Legend _knew_ this. Caring wasn't going to help. Caring was going to hurt him. Caring was the _worst_ _possible idea_ and _dammit_ that fond smile was tugging at his lips but he _wasn't_ _happy_.

Legend didn't really know anything anymore.

Turning back around, he spotted a piece of paper—a stack of them, actually—on the suspiciously clean kitchen table. Investigating, he recognized Ravio's handwriting—not quite neat, but far from messy. It felt like him. Lopsided but still doing its best and, well, it got the job done. Something Legend didn't know if he could say about himself. Sure, everyone else said he saved the world a bajillion and a half times or something, but it just felt... hollow. Of course he did. Anybody else would have. It wasn't like he woke up and decided to save the world. It just  _ happened _ .

_ Mr. Hero, _

Why the everloving  _ Hylia _ did Ravio insist on calling him that?

_ Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you get the point by now, but you know how it is. I'm heading off to the castle to hang out with Zelda because it's Thursday. I'll be back in time for dinner. _

_ Your friend (I hope), _

_ Ravio _

That was... shockingly unhelpful. Legend picked up the stack of papers as covertly as he could while still acting natural. The rest of the group was hanging out and chatting, Wind poring over his maps in awe. Hyrule shot him an inviting head tilt, but Legend gestured to the upstairs, hopefully conveying the general sentiment of "I have a thing in need of doing and that thing is upstairs so I will go and do that." Hyrule nodded, seemingly getting the message, and going back to talking to Time and Twilight about different woodwind instruments or something. 

After padding up the steps, he paused at the entrance to his room. It was done perfectly neatly, the bed freshly made and sunlight streaming in through the windows, casting elongated squares onto the floor. It was... exactly how Legend had left it. Nextdoor was the room where his uncle had stayed. Now it was Ravio's. It had taken Legend a while to convince himself that he was okay with that. It still felt a little wrong, but that was stupid. It was just a room. What was the point in leaving it vacant?

Legend felt a breath leave him. He sighed a lot these days.

He entered the room and tossed himself onto the bed, watching little dust motes drift into the air and catch the warm afternoon light. He looked down at the notes in his hand, flipping through them idly with his head positioned uncomfortably on his pillow, too apathetic to bother fixing it. 

_ Dear Mr. Hero, _

_ Zelda's invited me to the castle for cake and a chat, so I'll be there if you come back and don't see me here. I tidied up a little and dusted your collection. I hope your adventure's going well! _

_ Your friend, _

_ Ravio _

There were a few more that were similar, until one broke the mold.

_ Dear Mr. Hero, _

_ You've been gone for a little while and I haven't heard from you. I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself and don't need me nagging you, but I can't help but worry. You haven't returned any of my letters. But you don't hate me, of course. Right? That would be silly. Right? I'm sure you'd write if you could. I suppose I shouldn't assume you got them at all, what with all the traveling you do, but you know me, I'm a coward. I can't ever seem to stop worrying and being afraid. I guess I'm a little scared for you, though I know I have no reason to be. You're gonna be okay. I guess I'm just going nuts. But anyway, Zelda and I have made a habit out of having cake together on Thursdays. I don't even know why I'm still writing you notes anymore. I suppose I could just write one and leave it on the table every Thursday, but I've gotten into the habit now and I guess you're never gonna read these anyway so it doesn't matter. _

_ So anyway I made your bed today. It was getting awfully dusty in your room and I hung the sheets outside to air them out and let the sunlight hit them and stuff. I hope I'm being a good housesitter. Please come back soon. _

_ Your friend (I hope), _

_ Ravio _

Legend put the letters down. He should really stop reading these. Ravio didn't want him to see these. But they  _ were _ addressed to him so really it was Ravio's own fault for putting  _ his _ name on them and putting them in  _ his _ house.

What that didn't change was that Ravio was worried about him. Legend had, in fact, gotten Ravio's letters, but didn't really know how to respond so he just... didn't. He  _ meant _ to do it once he knew what to say but... he didn't. And now Ravio thought he hated him or was somehow hurt. Hooray. Lovely. Yet another thing Legend messed up. Yet  _ another _ slap in his face and guilt on his head. The one person who probably wouldn't ever leave him—no matter how much Legend wanted him to—and here Legend was, pushing him away and hurting him. 

Legend dropped the notes onto the floor, no longer in the mood to read them, and turned over, flopping face first onto his pillow. Of course, he couldn't breathe like that, so he turned his head to the side, hurting his now sore neck even more and reminding him about his headache. Perfect.

He heard the sound of the door being elbowed open and chatter downstairs. Excited sounds of greeting. Was Ravio back? Legend flicked his eyes over to the window where the sunlight streaming in had turned amber. It was almost dinnertime. He stiffed when the sound of gentle feet tapping up the stairs broke through his thoughts. Was it Hyrule? No, they weren't quiet enough to be his. Ravio, then. And the notes were still on Legend's floor. He quickly swiped them under the bed and turned to face the wall, attempting to feign slumber.

"Mr. Hero? You're back! I—"

Well, so much for feigning slumber, apparently Ravio was willing to talk his ear off, conscious or not. Actually, now that he thought about it, Legend was feeling just bitter enough to snap at him.

"Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"I... It's because I really respect you and it feels weird calling you anything less than that title?"

"But you're disrespecting me by calling me a name I don't like."

Ravio jumped a bit at this. "I suppose you're right. Well then, Legend—"

Legend almost started rolling onto his back, but stopped himself, resolutely facing the wall. He didn't want Ravio to see his face in case he started... Oh  _ no _ he was totally going to, wasn't he. He tried to keep his voice even during his next response.

"What's wrong with 'Link'? Why can't you just call me by my name?"

"I... your friends all call you Legend, though. And you are a Legend! Legend, you—"

" _ Don't call me that. _ "

"What? Why not? Everyone else—"

Legend sat up and turned to face Ravio in a rush.

"Yes but they're all going to  _ leave me _ in the end! That name is only a reminder that someday I'm going to become a 'Hero of Legend,' the same one that dooms Hyrule's world to a  _ hellscape _ !" No,  _ no _ , he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes and now his face was certainly getting red, wasn't it. It was definitely heating up and now his breaths were getting shaky and  _ Ravio go away please just go away _ . "Call me Link. Because that's all I am. A kid named Link."

Legend jerked himself back onto his side, facing the wall again and trying to breathe through his nose that was starting to get clogged up. He couldn't see Ravio anymore, but he could feel his presence. The shadow he cast in the golden light from the window, the quick, worried breaths, the smell of chocolate still clinging to his stupid purple bunny outfit that he insisted on wearing at all times, were all starting to make Legend claustrophobic.

Tears were slipping from Legend's eyes now, lazily sliding over his nose and down the side of his face to where he could feel them wetting the pillow beneath his cheek.

The touch of a hand on his hair slammed his thoughts to a screeching halt and made him flinch violently. They both froze for a moment, Legend quivering from how tense his muscles were. He wanted to tell Ravio to go away, to leave him alone, to let him rot in silence, but he didn't trust his voice. He could feel the wetness and tightness in his throat and refused to embarrass himself further by trying to bite anything out past his tears. Ravio took his silence as an invitation to continue and moved his hand slightly, fingers slipping through Legend's hair and against his scalp. His nails slid against the skin of Legend's head and the hero positively  _ melted _ . He sunk into the bed, all of his muscles morphing into jelly. A dip in the mattress informed him that Ravio had sat down and another hand joined the first one on his head, scratching smooth arcs behind his ears and at the nape of his neck.

Neither of them spoke a word. Legend was now far too distracted to sob properly, but the tears still ran down his face, unbidden. Legend could feel some of the stiffness returning to his muscles as he tensed slightly in anticipation of Ravio speaking. It was a while before he finally broke the silence with "I'm sorry."

Legend, not confident enough in his own voice to respond, glanced back towards Ravio.

"I... I'm useless. As always. I wish I could do more to help you, to take your pain away, but I don't know how. I don't know what to say."

Legend went back to staring at the wall, torn between whether he wanted to snap at Ravio, or try to comfort him.

"I can make a promise, though. I'll never leave you. Not ever."

Legend grunted a sort of scoffing laugh, one that made Ravio self-consciously pull his hands from Legend's hair.

"I... do you want me to? If you really don't want me here, I'll—"

"No."  _ Damn _ , his voice sounded awful. He tried to clear his throat and try again. "Please stay."  _ And please go back to scratching my head again. _

Ravio paused for a moment before Legend felt his hands—smoother than the hands of any of the battle-hardened heroes—return to his hair.

"Good," he finally stated, "because I wasn't planning on leaving you anyway. I'm here for you. I... I want to help. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

Legend hummed at that, neither a yes nor a no, a simple indication that he’d heard.

Ravio's fingers began reaching around to the other side of Legend's head and the veteran unconsciously rolled over so Ravio could get a better angle. From where he was now laying on his side, Legend could see the thoughtful but worried expression in Ravio's bright green eyes. His black bangs swept out to the side as poofily as ever, and he'd tossed his scarf over his shoulder at some point, presumably from the heat.

Looking at Ravio's face, at his lost but earnest attempts to try and do something,  _ anything _ he could to help Legend, Legend couldn't help but be overwhelmed with affection for his housemate—his… his friend.

In a split-second impulse decision, he started getting up, startling Ravio and making the merchant stand up and back away from the bed worriedly. Undeterred, Legend let his feet fall to the floor and stepped forward, burying his face in Ravio's shoulder and wrapping both his arms around the merchant's abdomen, squeezing firmly. 

Ravio froze for a second, before a smile that Legend could  _ hear _ must have stretched across his face. Ravio wrapped his left arm around Legend's shoulders and his right hand returned to its place in Legend's hair, fingernails sliding smoothly against his rough scalp.

Legend, from where his face was firmly shoved in Ravio's hood, breathed in a deep scent, Ravio's scent, the scent his home had taken on ever since Ravio moved in. Not chocolate, though that was what he smelled like at the moment, but through the sweet aroma, he could smell a warm fireplace and old books, hot tea and a cool breeze. He could smell his dorky purple rabbit friend who he cherished dearly.

Ravio's chest rose and fell, maybe a little quicker than was strictly necessary, but it was steady and stable. Ravio wasn't going anywhere. The strong, rabbit-quick pulse he could hear even through the thick purple robes was Ravio's own, and not one he wanted to live without. At this point, Legend didn't know if he could. His firm grip on Ravio never loosened, and Ravio's hand never moved from where it was carding through his hair. The merchant was warm, and even though it was a hot summer’s day, that companionable warmth was one Legend welcomed. He pressed himself against Ravio more, who pushed right back.

They should probably move. Was it getting awkward? Whatever. Legend felt better, safer, less  _ alone _ than he had in months. Yes, he'd met the other heroes, and they were great and he loved them all, but that was exactly the problem. He loved them  _ too much _ and he was far too attached to them and they'd have to  _ leave _ . They would. And then Legend would be left all alone. Again. Every comfort he received from them, every reassurance and burst of affection they showed, it all came with the caveat that he wouldn't have it for very long. "Don't rely on this comfort, it won't be there forever," "enjoy this while it lasts," and "don't ask for help. You'll only miss it later," had always needled through his mind every time he thought he was happy. But Ravio, Ravio lived in  _ his _ house. He had nowhere else to go. He was reliant on Legend and Legend was okay with that. 

Ravio's comfort was one he could accept, one he could trust: one that was always going to be there.

Legend eventually removed his face from Ravio's shoulder and worked up the courage to say the words that had been tossing themselves around his head on loop ever since his friend had touched his hair.

"Thank you, Ravio."

Ravio inhaled sharply in surprise before opening his mouth but Legend cut him off.

"No. Thank you. I'm sure you think it was nothing, and that you didn't do a very good job, but you did everything exactly right. You're not useless and you're not a coward. It takes real guts to risk your life by trying to touch my hair."

They both laughed at that, Ravio's chest shaking under Legend's grip—no he was not letting go, thank you very much—and Ravio hummed for a moment before speaking.

"And the same goes to you."

Legend loosened his grip a little so he could turn his head to look at Ravio. 

"Me? What'd I do?"

" 'What'd I do,' " Ravio mocked, lowering his voice even though Legend's was actually a higher pitch than his.

"What?? What  _ did _ I do?" Legend let his confusion show openly on his face.

"You saved the  _ world _ _!_ "

Legend sighed, rolling his eyes. "Look, I don't know why everyone keeps bringing it up. It was—"

"I'm sure you think it was nothing, and that you didn't do a very good job, but you did everything exactly right. You're not useless and you're not a coward. It takes real guts to risk your life to fight hatred and evil incarnate  _ multiple times _ ."

Legend scoffed. "Where'd you get that from?"

"The bravest hero I know."

He cocked his head. "When did you talk to Hyrule?"

"I was quoting _you_ , dummy. Thirty seconds ago."

"Oh."

The two remained in silence a moment longer, still in each other’s arms. Legend's breath had largely evened out, inhales smooth and exhales only slightly quivering, as Ravio silently played with his hair, running his fingers through it and fiddling with the pink strands from where they remained in the hug.

Legend had stopped thinking. For once, his mind was quiet. It was as if every concept had left his head save for  _ safe _ ,  _ warm _ and  _ yes _ . He sunk into Ravio's arms, not noticing that the merchant actually had to work rather hard to hold him up. He didn’t mind, though. The poor kid was exhausted and it showed. Ravio smiled. He'd get to sleep in his own bed for once. That'd be nice.

"DINNERTIIIIIIME!" Wind's voice rang up the stairs, causing the pair to freeze. Had it gotten that late already? Now that he had snapped back to reality, Legend could smell the spices in Wild's curry drifting up from the kitchen. 

Ravio broke the hug first, Legend reluctantly letting go, and the latter called a

"COMING!" down the stairs.

"So, Link, shall we head downstairs and get some dinner?"

"Yes, my friend, we shall."

Ravio brightened at that and Legend wished he didn't know why.

"But you might want to wash your face, first."

"Oh  _ sh*t _ you're right," he mumbled, scrubbing his face with his sleeve. 

"Here," Ravio said, taking his scarf from where it was draped over his shoulder and wrapping it loosely around Legend's neck, "A little piece of home for when you're away."

Legend needed to wash his face. Legend needed to eat dinner. Legend needed to apologize properly to Ravio for a lot of things. But instead, Legend hugged Ravio again, tossing one arm over his shoulder and the other around his torso and relishing the feeling of holding another actual, living, breathing human being in his arms. 

"Forget it, I'm going to start calling you Mr. Cuddles."

Legend laughed. "Do that and I'll set you on  _ fire _ ."

"We both know that's an empty threat, Mr. Cuddles."

"I hate you  _ so much. _ "

"No you don't."

"No. I don't." Legend smiled.

"Okay, but go actually wash your face now. Dinner's probably getting cold."

"JEEZ OKAY! I'M GOING, I'M GOING!"

Ravio smiled. "You're my best friend, too, Link."

  
  



End file.
